Method of &#34;piggie-back&#34; transportation



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. P. FELBU RN INVENTOR. W FMW BY 4% His Arrow/0'sMETHOD OF "PIGGIEBACK" TRANSPORTATION Oct. 3, 1961 Original Filed May 5,1958 Oct. 3, 1961 J. P. FELBURN I METHOD OF "PIGGIEBACK" TRANSPORTATIONOriginal Filed May 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 rliLv INVENTOR.

HIS ATTORNEYS a mt on. Q A? Oct. 3, 1961 J. P. FELBURN METHOD OF"PIGGIE-BACK" TRANSPORTATION Original Filed May 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Fig. 12

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Oct. 3, 1961 J. P. FELBURN METHOD OF "PIGGIE-BACK" TRANSPORTATIONOriginal Filed May 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ANFVENTOR.

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-METHOD OF .PlGGIE-BACK TRANSPORTATION John Phil Felbum, 4160 W. BroadSt, Columbus 4, Ohio (Ioutinuation of application Ser. No. 733,127, May5, 1958. This application Mar. 22, 19b0, Ser. No. 16,720 Claims. (Cl.214-38) This invention relates to a trailer assembly having a removablymounted running gear, so that the body of the trailer may be removedfrom the running gear and shipped either piggie-bao or fishy-back,although not necessarily so limited.

This application is a continuation application of my application SerialNo. 733,127, filed May '5, 1958, for Method of Piggie-BacTransportation, now abandoned.

In the trucking business, it is quite desirable to have all of theequipment in use at all times and to keep the tractors and running gearsin use for hauling freight as much of the time as possible. Furthermore,it is quite desirable to combine the transportation of freight first bytruck, then by a common carrier such as by rail, or a barge or a shipand again, possibly by truck, that is, a truck being used at both endsof the common carrier haul, first to pick up the load and deliver it tothe common carrier, then, at the end of the haul 'by the common carrier,to remove the load therefrom and deliver it to its ultimate destination.

An object of this invention is to provide a method wherein a trailerbed, either open or closed, is adapted to be used in material handling,beginning at the plant or place Where the product is produced, thentransported as a pallet, either to a storage room or directly to arunning gear of a trailer, where it is mounted on the running gear, soas to be hauled by truck from the plant either directly to the point ofdistribution or to a terminal of a railroad for piggie-back freighttransportation or to a barge or a ship for fishy-back" transportationand, at the destination terminal of the pi gie-back or fishy-backtransportation is again loaded on a running gear if need be fortransportation to the point of distribution, where the trailer body mayagain function as a pallet, for containing merchandise, either in awarehouse or in the open, until the merchandise has been disposed of tothe ultimate trade or user. By this arr-angement, economical use is madeof the trailer bed and the running gear. in the event the .freight ishauled by rail, the body of the trailer, which, in reality, is merely acrate or a box for the freight, is shipped. By mounting the trailer bodydirectly on the fiat car without the running gear, the trailer body whencarried on a fiat car being in direct contact with the bed of the fiatcar, it may be rigidly locked thereto by the use of conventional trailerking pins, the height being such that the load may be transported byrail through tunnels and under other overhead structures, in that theheight of the trailer body and running gear is less than the height ofthe van of a conventional box car. Furthermore, the load may be sodistributed that the heaviest load is directly above the trucks of theflat car and the lighter ends of the loads in the center of the flatcar, thereby obtaining the optimum distribution of weight on the fiatcar if two bodies or vans are placed thereon rather than one as in thecase of the use of the short car with single axled trucks. In the eventthe freight is shipped by conventional type "ice ships, bodies may betransported on the deck of an oil tanker, -or tanks for various types ofliquids may be mounted on the deck of an ordinary freighter. Again, byseparating the running gear from the trailer body, when a trailer bodyis moved upon the deck, it is possible to anchor the trailer body to thedeck by a comparatively simple and economical mechanism, whereas if thetrailer were to be transported on permanently attached wheels,

the load would be top-heavy, subject to undue swaying and would tend tojar loose in storms and rough sea. Another object of this invention isto provide a method utilizing a trailer body that is attachably mountedupon a running gear, the body being adapted to be shifted from therunning gear of a trailer including a tractor to a common carrierWithout unloading the merchandise or freight from the trailer body, soas to carry it by piggie-back or fishy-back mode of transportation,without shipping the running gear, to permit the use of the running gearfor collecting another load or hauling other freight while the body ofthe trailer containing the load is shipped by rail or water or is usedas a pallet or storage container. This results in more freight haulage,in that it is not necessary to ship tlae running gear with the load, butmerely the main body of a trailer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method utilizing atractor-trailer assembly, wherein the tractor may be used in shoving theend of the trailer upon a flat car or upon railroad bogie trucks, orupon a vessel properly equipped, the running gear being connected to thetractor by telescopically arranged bars so as to shorten the distancebetween the running gear and the tractor and increase the overhangdistance between the rear of the bed and the rear wheels of the runninggear forming a portion of the bed to be transferred to the fiat car.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method utilizing atrailer that includes a demountable running gear, the rear end of themain body of the trailer being provided with a device simulating aninverted fifth wheel member that may be used in loading and positioningthe trailer body upon a fiat car, or upon a railroad bo gie truck. Thisinverted fifth wheel member is provided with a V-shaped opening merginginto a straight sided slot adapted to engage a king pin. This king pinis located in the center of the width of the flat car or upon the deckof a vessel properly equipped. The body may swivel about this king pin,so that the front end of the body may be positioned and securelyfastened upon the flat car or bogie truck or vessel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method utilizing a flatcar having a removablymounted king pinlike structure near one end of theflat car and a receptacle near the center of the flat car for receivingand locking the conventional king pin in the front end of a trailer.

Another object of this 'invention is to provide a method of loading atrailer body mounted upon a demounta'bl'e running gear, wherein thetractor is used to shove the rear end portion of the trailer uponequipment or a con mon carrier, the front end of the trailer beinglifted by means of a suitable portable hoist mechanism, and swung intoposition, so that the main body of the trailer is aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the flat car or other carrying means.

upon a flat car, where the bed is backed from the side of the flat caruntil the bed balances upon the top of the flat car, the longitudinalaxis of the trailer bed forming an angle with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the flat car, the running gear is removed,thereafter the trailer bed or body is rotated so as to align thelongitudinal axis of the trailer body or bed with the longitudinal axisof the flat car.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method utilizing aconventional railroad bogie truck with means simulating fifth wheelmembers on tractors, but doubled and in reverse relation to each other,whereby the trailer body may have one end connected to one end of arailroad bogie truck and the other end connected to the end of anotherrailroad bogie truck, so that the trailer body together with therailroad bogie trucks form a railroad vehicle simulating a railroadfreight car.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode ofoperation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a road trailerprovided with a demountable running gear, the gear of the trailer beingforced rearwardly upon a flat car.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a trailer and tractor and an endview of a fiat car in section.

FIGURE 3 is another side elevational view of a trailer mounted upon ademountable running gear and the tractor, showing the body of thetrailer moved part way upon a flat car shown in section.

FIGURE 4 is another side elevational view of the main body of thetrailer having one end positioned upon a fiat car, shown in section, andthe other end supported by a hoist mounted upon a lift truck, thedemountable running gear and the tractor having been removed.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the tractor and the running gear,the running gear being coupled close to the tractor.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, longitudinal view of coupling barstelescopically arranged with respect to each other.

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view of the trailer and the rear end of thetractor shown schematically.

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional View, taken substantially on the line 8-8of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG- URI-E 8, showing amodification.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of the steerable wheels of therunning gear.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged view looking up at the under side of the rearend of the trailer.

FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view of the rear end of the trailer.

FIGURE 13 discloses a modification of a trailer assembly and a flat car,with parts broken away, wherein the trailer bed may be mounted inbalanced relation transversely upon the flat car.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary detail view showing the rear end of thetrailer bed resting upon the flat car.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary detail view of a latch mechanism.

Tractor The tractor may be any conventional truck tractor provided withfront steerable wheels 22 and rear drive wheels 24. The rear end of thetractor supports a fifth assembly consists essentially of two parts,namely, the main body or load carrying bed and a demountable runninggear.

Main body or bed of trailer The main body or bed of the trailer consistsof a floor 40 mounted upon two longitudinally extending frame members orchannel members 42. The distance between these channel members may taperslightly from the front to the rear, that is, they may be 34" wide inthe front and 38 wide in the rear. The body or bed may be a stake typebody, as shown in FIGURE 7, the margins of the body being provided withopenings 44 for receiving the stakes. Instead of a stake type bed, thebody may be enclosed, so as to house the freight. The front end of thetrailer is provided with a king pin 34, mounted in a suitable plate 46extending between the two lower flanges of the channel members 42 andwelded thereto. This king pin 34 is provided with an annular slot 48that is used in locking the king pin 34 to the fifth wheel member 26 ofthe trailer. The channel members 42 may be braced at spaced intervals bycross braces 56. A member 52 is fixedly secured by sliding engagement tothe outside of each channel member 42 near the rear end theretion 64. Asclearly shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 4, l1 and 12, the margins of the plate 60are welded to the lower inwardly directed flanges of the frame members42,, so that the lower surface of the plate 6(2- is flush with the lowersurface of the frame members 42-. A pair of rollers 66 is also locatednear the rear end of the body, the'rollers 66 projecting belowthe'channel or frame members 42. The axis of rotation of the rollers 66intersects the king pin 142 which is adjustably attached to the flatcar. The pointed ends adjacent the tapering throat 62 of the plate 60are deflected upwardly, as clearly shown in FIG- The main body of thetrailer is adapted to be supported on a tractor or other wheeled vehicleand a running gear when used for hauling freight by truck and adapted tobe mounted on a railway car or railroad bogie truck when used forshipping freight by rail, or upon the deck of a ship. The running gearassembly will now be described;

Running gear assembly leaf springs are attached by shackles 76 mountedupon longitudinally mounted undercarriage frame members 78.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 8, these frame members 78 consist of ahorizontal portion 79 underlying the channel members 42 and an upwardlydirected flange portion 80, merging into an outwardly directed flangeportion 82 seated in the channel-like portion 54 of member 52. Theundercarriage frame member '78 and the channel members 42 are heldtogether in proper fixed spaced relation, as far as vertical movement isconcerned, by the flange portion 82 seated in the channel-like portion54. The undercarriage frame members 78 are not restrained fromlongitudinal movement with respect to the frame members 42. Theundercarriage is free to move longitudinally with respect to the channelmembers 42.

The forward end of each leaf spring 74 is attached to the rear end of awalking beam 99, pivotally attached at 92 to the undercarriage 78', theforward end of the Walking beam 99 being fixedly secured to a transverseplate 9,6, as shown in FIGURE 10.

aooaeae This plate 96 is provided with a king pin 98 pivotally sup ortina plate 100, fixedly attached to the axle 102, having journalled thereonsteerable Wheels 104. The king pin 98 is located ahead of the axle 102,so as to provide 'a bogie truck assembly that functions as a Controlledcaster, that is, the bogie truck assembly includes the steerable Wheels194, the axle 102' and the plate 100.

As may be clearly seen by referring to FIGURE 7, the Walking beams 93taper from the rear towards the front,

so that at the rear end the spacing of the walking beams ht) issubstantially equal to the spacing of the frame members 42; but at thefront end, the walking beams converge toward each other so that the'r'e'is only a short distance between the front ends of the walking beams 90allowing wheel clearance to turn.

The relative position of the fixed axle 72 to the springs 74 and thepivotal attachment of the walking beams 90 to the undercarriage framemembers 78' has been so proportioned that there is equal weightdistribution on the several axles supporting a uniformly distributedtrailer load.

Steering mechanism of running gear As clearly seen in FIGURE 10,duo-functional tow and steering bars or rods 116 are pivotally atachedat the rear end to the plate 100 fixedlyattached to the axle 162. Asbest seen in FIGURES 6 and 7, each of the bars 11ft includes a rearenlargedtubular portion 11%, terminating in a capping member 11-2 and atelescopically arranged bar litlb. The bars 110a and 11Gb are providedwith apertures 114 and 116 respectively, adapted to receive a removablymounted pin 118. This pin may be secured in position by the use of asuitable cotter pin 120. By selecting the proper aperture 114, theproper distance may be obtained between the axle 102 and the rear end ofthe frame of the tractor 2G. The forward ends of the bars 11Gb arepivotally attached to the rear end of the tractorZt). Instead of beingconnected to the rear end of the frame of the tractor 20, the forwardends of the rods 110 may be connected to a plate nonrotatably mountedupon the fifth wheel member of the tractor. A conventional tandem axlewith a single telescoping draw bar is disclosed in my United StatesLetters Patent No. 2,693,889, patented November -9, 1954, for TrailerWith Detachable Load Platform.

It is to be noted that the bars 110 diverge rearwardly from the end ofthe tractor 20, so that the distance between the pivotal connections ofthe bars 110 to the tractor is less than the distance between thepivotal connection of the bars 110 to the plate 100 fixedly attached tothe axle 102. This is clearly seen from an analysis of the movement ofall the parts affecting the steering of the steerable wheels. When thetractor 20 begins negotiating a curve to the right, the right bar 110rn'ov'es rearwardly and the left bar 110 moves forwardly when the pins118 extend through holes 114 and 11 6. As "the front end of the rightbar approaches the longitudinal center line of the trailer, the frontend of the right bar moves substantially transversely. The left bar,however, moves forwardly at a very great rate. As soon as the front endof the right bar passes the longitudinal center line of the trailer,both bars move forwardly as the lcurvature of the turn is increased.Obviously, When both bars move forwardly, the running gear is alsopulled forwardly by the steering bars 110, which "also function as towbars, to thereby advance rherunntng gear with respect to the bodyof'th'e trailer. When straightening the tractor with respect to "thetrailer, the reverse takes place and the body or the trailer is recededwith respect to the running gear. This results in the steerable wheelstracking without any substantial amount 'of skidding when negotiating acurve. The relative distance between the spacing of the pivots at theends of the bars 110, is dependent upon a number of factors, such as thelength from the non-steerable wheels of the running gear to thenon-steerable wheels of the tractor and to the relative 6 positioning ofthe steerable wheels under the trailer with respect to the non-steerablewheels of the running gear.

In addition to steering the steerable Wheels of the running gear, thebars also function as tow bars for towing the running gear, in that therunning gear is loosely mounted under the trailer. In negotiating turnsor curves, the distance between the tractor and the running gear willdiffer slightly. That being the case, when negotiating a curve, therewill be a relative movement between the running gear and the rear end ofthe trailer. This slippage eliminates the necessity for a slot in theplate 96, as has been described in my United States Letters Patent No.2,433,269, patented December 23, 1947, for Transportation Vehicle. Whenthe running gear has been properly positioned on the rear end of thetrailer and the tractor attached to the front end through the fifthwheel on the tractor, the pins 113 are then located in proper aperturesfor use with a trailer body, so as to maintain a constant length of thesteering and tow bars. The bars 110 are shortened when towing the emptyrunning gear by insetting the pins 118 in properly selected apertures1'14 and 116. As clearly seen in FIGURE 10, the pivot pin or king pin 98may be located ahead of the axle 102, so that the steerable wheelsfunction as controlled caster wheels while driving in a forwarddirection.

Flat car, as used herein, designates a railway car wherein the platformlies in a common plane throughout the load carrying area with theexception of a king pin or king pins projecting upwardly from the loadcarrying area or projecting downwardly into recesses provided thereforin the load carrying area.

Method of loadinga flat car If the body of the trailer is to be shappedon a flat "car 128, the tractor, the trailer bed and the running gearare backed up to the side near one end of the flat-car. As clearly shownin Figures 1 and 2, this flat car 128 is provided with an upwardlydirected king pin or pivot pin 142 that may be raised or lowered, as thecase may be, by means of a crank 130 mounted on the lower end of a shaft132. The inner end of the shaft 132 has a worm 134 meshing with a wormgear 136 keyed to a shaft 138 having mounted thereon an eccentric cam140 adapted to raise and lower a king pin 142. When the fiat car is usedfor hauling other types of freight, the king pm 142 may be lowered byrotating the eccentric cam 140 by actuating the crank 130, so as to dropthe king pin below the level of the top of the flat car. However, whenthe trailer is to be hauled on the flat car, the king pin is then raisedinto the position shown in FIGURE 2. The trailer bed, the running gearand the tractor are backed until the rear end 154i of the running gearengages the side of the flat car. The pins 118 are then removed, so asto permit the telescopic bars 11th; to slide into the larger tubularbars 11611. The running gear cannot move; but the tractor can shove thetrailer b ed upon the flat car, as shown in FIGURE 3, until the king pin142 is seated in the end of the slot portion 64 of the plate as, atwhich time a latch member 152 looks the king pin 142 to the rear end ofthe trailer. It is to be noted that in orderto facilitate the movementof the trailer body upon the fiat car, the load is carried upon therollers 66 as soon 'as the rollers engage the floor of the flat car.

When the king pin 142 has been properly seated "and locked in position,a motorized auxiliary hoist 158 is used in supporting the front end ofthe trailer bed. The hoist is provided with a suitable boom 160 and acable 161 extending from a winch 163. The end of the cable 151 'isprovided with a ring that engages a hook 162 in the front end of thetrailer bed. The boom 160, the cable lol and the winch 163 are mountedupon a suitable steerable Vehicle 153, shown schematically in FIGURES 3and 4, the front end of the trailer being supported'upon the boom 160,at which time the tractor 20 and the 158 into the dotted position shownin FIGURE 1.

bed with the rear end supported upon the freight car and :the front endsupported from the boom 160.

After the tractor and running gear have been removed,

the trailer bed may then be swung through 90, or whatever the angle maybe, by means of the steerable hoist The king pin 34 rests in an aperture171 provided therefor in the fiat car. This aperture 170 is bounded byan arcuate groove 172, which guides the king pin into the aperture Assoon as the king pin 34- has been seated in the aperture 170, abifurcated locking member or retaining means 174, shown schematically inFIGURE 1, is actuated, so as to engage the annular groove 48 in the kingpin 34, to lock the king pin in the floor of the fiat car. It canreadily be seen that both ends of the trailer are then rigidly securedto the fiat car and cannot swing sidewise and cannot swing cndwise. Inloading the trailer,

it is preferable to place the heaviest load on the rear end of thetrailer, so as to facilitate the handling of the front end of thetrailer in rotating the front end of the trailer from the full lineposition, shown in FIGURE 1, to the dotted position shown in FIGURE 1and also carrying the heaviest load directly over the railroad trucks.

In this same figure, another trailer body 180 is also shown on theopposite end of the flat car. The length 'of the trailer beds in suchthat two beds may be hauled on a conventional fiat car. From this it canreadily be .seen that the tractor Zti is utilized to supply power tomove the rear end of the trailer upon the flat car. Whenever the rearend of the trailer bed has been loaded upon the flat car and lockedthereto, then the front end may be actuated by means of a suitable hoistor crane mechanism that has been motorized and is self-propelled, to

swing the trailer body from the full line position to the dottedposition.

Unloading trailer bodies from flat cars When the flat car together withthe trailer body reaches .the destina ion, it is then necessary tounload the trailer body from the flat car. This is done by an operationreverse to that of loading the trailer body on the flat car.

First, the retaining means 174 is released from the king pin 34 carriedunder the front end of the trailer body. A motorized hoist like thehoist 158 is used in lifting the forward end of the trailer bodyupwardly, so as to cause the king pin 34 to be removed from the aperture170, the motorized hoist then swinging the front end of the trailer bodyinto position at right angles to the longitudinal axis I of the flatcar, the trailer body being swivelled about the pivot pin 142.

While the front end of the trailer body is supported by the motorizedhoist, the running gear is then backed under "the trailer body. The rearend of the running gear abuts the side of the flat car. The front end ofthe trailer body is then lowered to a suitable height so as to cause thefifth wheel member 26 on the tractor to engage the king pin 34 of thefifth wheel member mounted under the front end of the trailer body.

The rear wheels and the steerable wheels of the running gear will thenbe in the position shown in FIGURE 1. As best seen in FIGURE 11,

,the latch 152 engaging the king pin 142 is then released and themotorized hoist is disconnected from the front end of the trailer, inthat the front end of the trailer is then supported upon the fifth Wheelmember 26 of the The trailer body is then or a brake applied thereto, sothat the running gear remains stationary until such time that thesteering rods 110 have been extended into the desired full lengthposition,

towed to its ultimate destination. Again, the tractor and the runninggear may be disconnected from the trailer by supporting the front end ofthe trailer upon suitable landing gears 190 shown in FIGURES 7 and 9,and the rear end upon any suitable support which may be provided with aking pin 142 as in FIGURE 1.

In the embodiment shown. in FIGURE 1, as described above, the rear endof the truck is backed upon the flat car and then the front end issupported independently of the tractor and the undercarriage while thetractor and the undercarriage are withdrawn.

In the modification disclosed in FIGURES 13, 14 and 15, the trailer bed206 is backed upon a fiat car 200, so that the center of thelongitudinal length of the bed is positioned in balanced relation on theflat car, so that the longitudinal axis of the flat car intersects thelongitudinal axis of the bed in the center thereof. The method ofloading and unloading of the trailer bed upon the flat car will now bedescribed.

A flat car 200 connected to the flat cars 2132 and 204, in other words,a flat car selected from a string of flat cars forming a train, has beenshown. This fiat car 200, if it has sufficient length, may be providedwith a pair of upwardly directed pins 208 simulating king pins. Thetrailer bed is provided with a pair of guide rails 210 and 212 providinga V-shaped opening 214 near the rear end of the trailer bed and alongitudinal slot 216 merging into the V-shaped opening 214. The guiderails 210 and 212 extend from the rear end under the center of thelongitudinal length of the trailer bed. The undercarriage is mounted onthis trailer bed in the same manner as the undercarriage described inconnection with FIGURE 1. The trailer bed is backed over the position220, shown in dot-dash, the undercarriage abutting against the side ofthe flat car, as shown in FIGURE 14, the trailer bed being backed intothe position shown in the dotted'lines 222 when the tow bars have beencontracted as far as they will go.

By this arrangement, a latch member 230 engages the pin 208, so as toprevent withdrawal of the trailer bed from the flat car. Inother words,the latch member 230 engages the king pin 208 in such a manner as toprevent withdrawal of the bed. The tractor 20 is then disconnected fromthe king pin 34 of the trailer bed. The running gear is then positionedunder the front end of the trailer bed and locked in position in anysuitable manner. By this arrangement, sufiicient clearance is pro-.vided between the rear end of the running gear and the .fiat car topermit the tractor, through the running gear,

to back the bed 206 into the full line position shown in FIGURE 13, whena second latch 241B engages the king pin 208 so as to lock the trailerbed in a balanced position on the flat car, assuming that the load uponthe trailer bed is balanced. In other words, the trailer bed projectssubstantially an equal distance to both sides of the flat car. Insteadof one latch 230 being used, several latches may be used in the eventmore than two stages 'of backing the trailer bed upon the flat car areused.

The running gear is then withdrawn from the bed 206.

The bed may then be rotated in any suitable manner, either manually orby power, possibly using a tow bar, into the dot-dash position 242 shownin FIGURE 13. The ends of the trailer bed may be anchored to the flatcar in any suitable manner, the center of the bed being locked thereto,then by releasing the latch 249, the trailer bed may be withdrawn untilthe Pin 208 is locked to the rear of the latch 230 which may be reversedso as to prevent the bed from being returned to the balanced positionwhile the undercarriage is backed under the bed into a position wherethefifth wheel member of the tractor 20 may engage the kii1g pin usuallyfound under the front end of the trailer. Then the bed may be completelywithdrawn from the fiat car.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generallystated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims. i

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of transferring a trailer body from a trailer having aremovably attached undercarriage, the trailer body having a king pin onthe front end thereof and swivel means located rearwardly of the kingpin cooperating with swivel means on the floor of the flat car when thetwo swivelmeans are brought into registry, also including the use of atowing vehicle, said method including the steps of backing the rear endof the trailer body upon the side of the flat car, registering theswivel means under the trailer body with the swivel means on the fiatcar to form a pivot, locating a towing vehicle to one side of the frontend of the trailer body, attaching the towing vehicle to the trout endof the trailer body and relieving the weight of the trailer body fromthe tractor and undercarriage, removing the undercarriage from thetrailer body, supporting the trailer body solely upon the fiat car andupon the towing vehicle, swinging the trailer body by the use of thetowing vehicle so as to align the longitudinal axis of the trailer bodywith the longitudinal axis of the-flat car, disconnecting the towingvehicle from the trailer body so as to support the trailer body indirect contact with and upon the door of the flat car, and locking theking pin to the flat car to hold the front end of the trailer body inlocked posi tion upon the hat car.

2. The method of transferring a trailer bed from a tractor drawn trailerhaving a removably attached undercarriage, the trailer bed having aplate on the under side thereof, the plate being provided with arearwardly directed V-shaped slot, to a flat car having a king pinprojecting upwardly from the fioor of the flat car including the use ofa towing vehicle, said method including the steps of backing the rearend of the trailer bed upon the side of the flat car by the tractoruntil the V-shaped slot in the plate is seated upon the king pin in theflat car, locking the king pin in the slot, attaching the towingvehicle, which is offset from the tractor, to the front end of thetrailer bed, removing the undercarriage from the trailer bed, supportingand controlling the trailer bed solely upon the flat car and the towingvehicle, swinging the trailer bed by the use of the towing vehicle so asto align the longitudinal axis of the trailer bed with the longitudinalaxis of the flat car, and disconnecting the ,towing vehicle 'from thetrailer bed so as to support the trailer bed in direct contact with andupon the floor of the fiat car.

3. The method of transferring a trailer bed from a tractor drawn trailerhaving a removably attached undercarriage, the trailer bed having swivelmeans mounted on the under side thereof, to a hat car having swivelmeans complementing the swivel means on the under I side of the trailerbed, so that the two swivel means cooperate to form a pivot, includingthe use of a towing vehicle, said method including the steps of backingthe rear end of the trailer bed upon the side of a flat car, registeringthe swivel means so as to provide a pivot for the trailer bed withrespect to the flat car, connecting the towing vehicle, which is ofisetfrom the tractor, to

the front end of the trailer bed, removing the undercarriage from thetrailer bed by the use of the tractor, 'supporting and controlling thetrailer bed solely upoh the flat car and the towing vehicle, swingingthe trailer bed by the use of the towing vehicle so as to align thelongitudinal axis of the trailer bed with the longitudinal axis of thefiat car, and disconnecting the towing vehicle ir'drh the trailer bed soas to support the trailer bed in direct contact with and upon the floorof the Hat car.

4. The method of transferring a trailer bed from a tractor drawn trailerhaving a reinovably attached under carriage, the trailer bed having aking pin on the front end thereof and swivel means located 'rearwardlyof the king pin cooperating with swivel means on the floor of the flatcar when the two swivel means are brought into registry, said methodincluding the use of a towing vehicle, said method including the stepsof backing the rear "end of the trailer body upon the side of the flatcar by use of the tractor, registerihg the swivel means under thetrailer bed with the swivel means on the flat car to form a pivot,attaching the towing vehicle, which is offset from the tractor, to thefront end of the trailer bed, removing the undercarriage from thetrailer bed by the tractor, supporting the trailer he'd solely upon thefiat car and upon the towing vehicle, swinging the trailer bed by theuse of the towing vehicle so as to align the longitudinal axis of thetrailer bed with the longitudinal axis of the that car, disconnectingthe towing vehicle-from the trailer bed so as to support the trailer bedin direct Contact with and upon the floor of the flat car, and lockingthe king pinto the Hat ear to hold the front end of the trailer bed inlocked positibh upon the flat car. 7 r

5. The method of transferring a trailer bed from the running gear of atractor drawn trailer to a flat car, said trailer bed having a king pinprojecting downwardly from the front end thereof, and a plate memberhaving a V-shaped throat associated with a latch for engaging a pivotpin simulating a king pin near the rear end thereof, said flat carhaving an upwardly projecting pivot simulating a king pin, the runninggear being slidably connected to the trailer bed and provided withtowing rods telescopically arranged so as to permit shortening of thedistance between the trailer running gear and the tractor, and a towingvehicle, said method including "the steps of backing the tractor and thetrailer so as to push the rear end of the trailer bed upon the flat carto position the "V -shaped throat of the rear end of the trailer bedupon the pivot pin, the bed of the trailer being in direct contact withthe top of the flat car, attaching the towing vehicle, which is offsetfrom the tractor, to the front 'end of the trailer bed, withdrawing thetractor and the running gear from the trailer bed, supporting thetrailer bed solely by the flat car and the towing vehicle, swinging thefront end of the trailer bed by the towing vehicle so as to swivel thetrailer bed about the pivot pin of the fiat car to align the bed of thetrailer with the longitudinal axis of the flat car, and anchoring bothends of the trailer bed to the flat car.

6. The method of transferring a trailer bed from the running gear of atrailer to a fiat oar according to claim 5, wherein the trailer bed isprovided with a pair of rollers projecting a short distance belowthetrailer bed,

said rollers being located near the rear end of the trailer ing bedhaving a front 'end detachably supported on said tractor and the rearend supported on a running gear which is selectively removable from saidbed, said bed having a plate mounted on the underside thereof, saidplate having a rearwardly directed ll-shaped slot, said spotters methodutilizing a towing vehicle, the method including the transferring ofsaid bed from the running gear and from the tractor to a railway flatcar having an upwardly directed king pin, which method comprises shovingthe rear end of the bed upon the flat car, disconnecting the runninggear from its normal load carrying position, shoving the bed furtherupon the flat car to position the upwardly directed king pin in saidslot, locking the king pin in the slot, attaching the towing vehicle tothe trailer bed, which towing vehicle is oifset from the tractor,disconnecting the tractor with a portion of the bed projecting beyondthe outer margin of the flat car, supporting the 'bed solely upon theflat car and the towing vehicle, rotating the bed about said king pinupon the flat car with the longitudinal axis of the bed extendingparallel to the longitudinal axis of the fiat car.

8. The method of making shipments including the use of a trailer havinga load-carrying bed which has its rear :end supported on a running gearthat is selectively movable under and forwardly of said bed from normalloadcarrying position at the rear of said bed to a forward positionwhere it is disconnected from said bed, said bed having a recess on itsunder surface tapering from a mouth directed to the rear of said bed andmerging into a longitudinal slot extending forwardly at least to thecenter of the longitudinal axis of the bed, and further including theuse of a flat car having an elongate loadsupporting platform forreceiving said bed, said flat car being provided with a verticallyextending pivot member projecting upwardly from the surface of the floorof the flat car, said method comprising the steps of backing the trailerso as to project the rear end of the bed over the top of the fiat carwith the pivot member positioned in said slot, and abutting said runninggear against a side of said flat car, shoving the rear end of said bedupon said flat car, and simultaneously moving said running gear towardsthe forward end of the bed, the backing of the bed being accomplished byseveral steps, and holding the bed from forward movement between thesteps until the bed is shoved into a balanced position transversely ofthe flat car, removing the running gear from the bed, and rotating thebed about said pivot -member to align the bed with the longitudinal axisof the 7 9. The method of transferring a trailer bed from a running gearof a tractor drawn trailer to a flat car, said trailer bed having a pairof guide members forming a .V-shaped throat merging into alongitudinally extending slot terminating ahead of the center of thelongitudinal axis of the bed, said slot being associated with a latchfor engaging -a pivot member projecting'upwardly from the fiat car andbeing located in the longitudinal axis extending along the center of theflat car, the'running gear being slidably connected to the trailer bed,said method including the steps of backing the tractor and the trailerbed so as topush the rear end of the trailer bed upon the flat car toposition the V-shaped throat of the rear end of the trailer bed upon thepivot member, the bed of the trailer being in direct contact with thetop of the flat ear, the running gear abutting the side of the flat carand shoved forwardly as the bed is backed upon the flat car, saidbacking taking place in several steps, holding the bed against movementfrom the flat car between the backing steps, withdrawing the runninggear and thetractor from the trailer bed after the pivot member has beenpositioned-in the slot near the center of the longitudinal axis of thebed, supporting the trailer bed in a balanced relation upon the fiatcar, locking the pivot member in the slot by said latch, and swingingthe bed about the pivot member so as to align the longitudinal axis ofthe trailer bed with the longitudinal axis of the flat car.

10. The method of making shipment including the use ;of a trailer havinga load carrying bed which has its rear end supported ona running gearthat is selectively a v 12 movable under and forwardly of said bed fromnormal load carrying position at the rear oftsaid bed to a forwardposition where it is disconnectedfrom said bed, said bed having a pairof spaced guides on its undersurface forming longitudinal guidesextending from the rear end of the bed forwardly at least to the centerof the longitudinal axis of the bed, and further including a railway carhaving a load supporting platform for receiving said bed, said car beingprovided with a vertically extending pivot member in the platform, saidpivot member being located in the longitudinalraxis of the car, saidmethod comprising the steps of backing the trailer towards the side ofthe car, arresting the movement of the running gear, continuing thebacking of the trailerrwhile the running gear is arrested so as toproject the rear end of the bed over the top of the platform with thepivot member between said guides until the trailer bed is moved into asubstantially balanced position transversely of the car, disconnectingthe running gear from the bed by the relative movement of the bed andthe running gear, latching the trailer bed to the pivot member, androtating the bed about said pivot member to align the bed with thelongitudinal axis of the car.

11. A method of making shipments through the utilization of rail andtruck transportation and involving the use of a railway flat car and asemi-trailer having a loadcarrying bed detachably connected at its frontend to a tractor unit and having a stable multiple axle wheel unitprovided with an upper portion detachably locked in position underneaththe rear part of the bed whereby the latter is conjointly supported bysaid wheel and tractor units for movement along a roadway, said methodincluding the steps of backing the'semi-trailer by means of the tractorin a direction generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the railwayflatcar to a position wherein the rear end of said bed adjoins and isgenerally level with the adjacent upper surface of said flat car andwherein the rear set of wheels of said wheel unit adjoins the side ofsaid flat car, stopping the backing movement of said tractor unit andunlocking said wheel unit from said load-carrying bed to permit relativeble separation therebetween, disconnecting said tractor .unit from saidbed, and swinging said bedhorizontally and relative tosaid flat car to aposition wherein its longitudinal axis is generally aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the flat can.

12. The method of claim 11 and further including the steps of connectinga towing and lifting vehicle to the front end of said load-carrying bedand lifting the front end to relieve said tractor unit from support ofthe load and utilizing the motive action of said towing and liftingvehicle to swing said bed horizontally.

13. The method of claim 11 and further including the step oflongitudinally pushing said bed crosswise of said flat car to a positionwherein opposite ends of said bed extend substantially equal amountsbeyond opposite sides of said flat car, and thereafter carrying out thesaid step of swinging said bed horizontally.

14. The method of claim 11 and further including the steps of engagingthe load-carrying bed with a vertically extending pivot member on saidfiat car at the time said bed is moved over and onto the latter, andthereafter carrying out the said step of swinging said bed horizontallyabout the pivot axis formed by said pivot member. i

1,734,303 Ross Nov. 5, 1929 14 Francis July 31, 1934 Soulis Aug. 13,1935 Ludington May 10, 1938 Zubatsky Feb. 13, 1945 McGregor et a1 Feb.27, 1951 Fellabaum Nov. 9, 1954

